Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa
(c) Matt Muir, some rights reserved (CC BY)
OrderButterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera)
FamilyBrush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
GenusTortoiseshells (Nymphalis)
Few butterflies have collected as many nicknames: mourning cloak, Camberwell beauty, grand surprise, even white petticoat. This large, powerful flier is native to both Eurasia and North America and regularly migrates far beyond its normal range, delighting butterfly watchers everywhere. Its spiny elm caterpillar is equally dramatic.
Think you can identify this one in the wild?
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